U.S. patent number 10,054,625 [Application Number 15/674,752] was granted by the patent office on 2018-08-21 for networked electrostatic discharge measurement.
This patent grant is currently assigned to International Business Machines Corporation. The grantee listed for this patent is International Business Machines Corporation. Invention is credited to Wei Guo, LiCen Mu, Qiuyi Yu, WeiFeng Zhang, Lin Zhao.
United States Patent |
10,054,625 |
Guo , et al. |
August 21, 2018 |
Networked electrostatic discharge measurement
Abstract
A first electrostatic discharge measurement is received from a
first sensor. The first sensor utilizes a wireless network to send
the first measurement from a first stage of the assembly line of
electronic components susceptible to electrostatic discharge
damage. A second electrostatic discharge measurement is received
from a second sensor. The second sensor utilizes the wireless
network to send the second measurement from a second stage of the
assembly line. An electrostatic discharge history is updated for
the first assembly stage based on the first electrostatic discharge
measurement. The electrostatic discharge history is updated for the
second assembly stage based on the second electrostatic discharge
measurement. A potential electrostatic danger condition is
determined based on the electrostatic discharge history.
Inventors: |
Guo; Wei (Shenzhen,
CN), Mu; LiCen (Shenzhen, CN), Yu;
Qiuyi (Shenzhen, CN), Zhang; WeiFeng (Shenzhen,
CN), Zhao; Lin (Shenzhen, CN) |
Applicant: |
Name |
City |
State |
Country |
Type |
International Business Machines Corporation |
Armonk |
NY |
US |
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Assignee: |
International Business Machines
Corporation (Armonk, NY)
|
Family
ID: |
59897113 |
Appl.
No.: |
15/674,752 |
Filed: |
August 11, 2017 |
Prior Publication Data
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Document
Identifier |
Publication Date |
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US 20170336458 A1 |
Nov 23, 2017 |
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Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
Issue Date |
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15077955 |
Mar 23, 2016 |
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Current U.S.
Class: |
1/1 |
Current CPC
Class: |
B23P
19/04 (20130101); G01R 31/001 (20130101); H01L
27/0248 (20130101); G01R 19/165 (20130101); H05K
3/30 (20130101) |
Current International
Class: |
G08B
21/00 (20060101); B23P 19/04 (20060101); G01R
19/165 (20060101); H05K 3/30 (20060101); G01R
31/00 (20060101) |
Field of
Search: |
;340/650 |
References Cited
[Referenced By]
U.S. Patent Documents
Foreign Patent Documents
Other References
Unknown, "The Prevention and Control of Electrostatic Discharge
(ESD) (AN-40-005)", Application Note, Rev.: A, M150261, Apr. 14,
2015, 8 pages, .COPYRGT. 2015 Mini-Circuits. cited by applicant
.
Guo et al., "Networked Electrostatic Discharge Measurement", U.S.
Appl. No. 15/077,955, filed Mar. 23, 2016. cited by applicant .
IBM, "List of IBM Patents or Patent Applications Treated as
Related", Aug. 8, 2017, 2 pages. cited by applicant.
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Primary Examiner: McNally; Kerri
Attorney, Agent or Firm: Lawrence; Nolan M.
Claims
What is claimed is:
1. A method of determining an electrostatic discharge danger in an
assembly line comprising: receiving a first electrostatic discharge
(ESD) measurement from a grounding mat, the grounding mat including
a first sensor utilizing a wireless Bluetooth network to send the
first ESD measurement via a network connection, the first sensor at
a first stage of an assembly line of electronic components
susceptible to damage from an electrostatic discharge; updating,
based on the first ESD measurement, an ESD history for the first
assembly stage; receiving a second ESD measurement from a tool, the
tool for assembly of the electronic components, the tool including
a second sensor utilizing a wired Ethernet network to send the
second ESD measurement via the network connection, the second
sensor at a second stage of the assembly line; updating, based on
the second ESD measurement, the ESD history for the second assembly
stage; receiving a third ESD measurement from a grounding strap,
the grounding strap worn by an assembler of the electronic
components, the grounding strap including a third sensor utilizing
a wireless near field communication network to send the third ESD
measurement, the third sensor at the second stage of the assembly
line; updating, based on the third ESD measurement, the ESD history
for the second assembly stage; determining, based on the ESD
history for the first assembly stage and for the second assembly
stage, a potential ESD danger condition in the assembly line,
wherein the potential ESD danger condition is a voltage near but
not exceeding a predetermined threshold and a current exceeding a
predetermined threshold; sending, based on the determined potential
ESD danger condition, a stop command to the assembly line, the stop
command including an alarm sound repeated every second; and
indicating, via the stop command, that the assembler should
diagnose the tool before resuming assembly.
Description
BACKGROUND
The present disclosure relates to electrostatic discharge, and more
specifically, to connecting electrostatic discharge measurements to
provide enhanced protection of electronic components.
Electronic components may provide logic embedded into devices such
as personal computers. Electronic components may be utilized in the
transportation sector to calculate the movement of automobiles for
safety. Electronic components may be utilized in the healthcare
industry to automate and increase the accuracy of reading human
vital signs. Electronic components may be utilized in the consumer
space to provide more varied forms of entertainment.
SUMMARY
Disclosed herein are embodiments of a method, computer program
product, and system for preventing damage to electronic components
susceptible to damage from an electrostatic discharge in an
assembly line. A first electrostatic discharge measurement is
received from a first sensor. The first sensor utilizes a wireless
network to send the first measurement from a first stage of the
assembly line. A second electrostatic discharge measurement is
received from a second sensor. The second sensor utilizes the
wireless network to send the second measurement from a second stage
of the assembly line. An electrostatic discharge history is updated
for the first assembly stage based on the first electrostatic
discharge measurement. The electrostatic discharge history is
updated for the second assembly stage based on the second
electrostatic discharge measurement. A potential electrostatic
danger condition is determined based on the electrostatic discharge
history.
The above summary is not intended to describe each illustrated
embodiment or every implementation of the present disclosure.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
The drawings included in the present application are incorporated
into, and form part of, the specification. They illustrate
embodiments of the present disclosure and, along with the
description, serve to explain the principles of the disclosure. The
drawings are only illustrative of certain embodiments and do not
limit the disclosure.
FIG. 1 depicts an electronic component assembly line that may
utilize networked electrostatic discharge (NESD) monitoring in
accordance with embodiments of the disclosure.
FIG. 2 depicts an example method for determining a potential
electrostatic discharge that may damage an electronic component in
an assembly line in accordance with embodiments of the present
disclosure.
FIG. 3 depicts the representative major components of an example
computer system that may be used, in accordance with embodiments of
the present disclosure.
While the invention is amenable to various modifications and
alternative forms, specifics thereof have been shown by way of
example in the drawings and will be described in detail. It should
be understood, however, that the intention is not to limit the
invention to the particular embodiments described. On the contrary,
the intention is to cover all modifications, equivalents, and
alternatives falling within the spirit and scope of the
invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
Aspects of the present disclosure relate to electrostatic discharge
(ESD), more particular aspects relate to connecting electrostatic
discharge measurement to provide enhanced protection of electronic
components. While the present disclosure is not necessarily limited
to such applications, various aspects of the disclosure may be
appreciated through a discussion of various examples using this
context.
Electronic componentry (electronics) has become ubiquitous in the
modern world as many more devices are coming with integrated
circuits (e.g., smart-phones, connected appliances, etc.). The
manufacturing of electronic components has become not just one but
many industries as electronics companies are tasked with creating
more and more electronics. For example, suppliers create electronic
components that are combined into more complex electronic
components. In some cases tens or hundreds of electronic components
may be required for consumer-facing devices (e.g., automobiles,
home-entertainment systems, etc.). As the demand has risen
electronics companies are tasked with increasing the efficiency and
reducing the cost of electronic component manufacturing.
Electrostatic discharge (ESD) may decrease the efficiency of
manufacturing electronics. ESD may cause damage to integrated
circuits and other electronic components. ESD may occur when
electricity suddenly flows between two electrically charged objects
(e.g., triboelectric charging, electrostatic induction, etc.). ESD
may decrease efficiency by reducing the number of viable components
produced. A given number of electrical components may be exposed to
one or more ESDs as they are moved through manufacturing. Workers
may be handling the electrical components, placing the components
on various tables, and touching the components with tools or
machines. As components are exposed to ESD they may be damaged. The
damaged electronics may be unsuitable for their originally designed
functions. In some situations, it may be difficult to determine
which components were broken and at which stage of assembly.
To prevent ESD damage many electronics manufacturers may utilize
various techniques and devices to help prevent ESD. Electronics
manufacturers may utilize tools that are grounded such as soldering
irons that are plugged into a grounded electrical outlet. In some
situations, the tools may be modified by being tethered to a
grounding point. Electronics manufacturers may also utilize
workspaces that also prevent ESD damage, such as grounding
workspaces. Electronics manufacturers may also try to ensure that
workers are grounded either indirectly or directly, by utilizing
grounding mats or wrist straps, respectively. Each of these
techniques may include feedback mechanisms to ensure usage of these
devices. The feedback mechanisms may provide audible or visual
feedback through lights and sounds to the workers.
The techniques may be designed such that each individual worker
complies with usage of devices and environments designed to
mitigate ESD problem conditions (e.g., a potential ESD damage). The
techniques may rely on each individual worker following the
guidelines. The techniques may be isolated to each worker (e.g., a
first worker may rely on one or more mitigation techniques that a
separate from other workers). In some situations, utilizing quality
assurance processes may catch worker non-compliance or failed
equipment that may reduce damage of ESD problem conditions. After
assembly of electronics a subset of the assembled electronics may
be tested to ensure no damage occurred from ESD. If ESD damage is
found, electronics manufacturers may assign additional employees to
verify the ESD prevention is sufficient. Verification may include
retraining all workers to properly and consistently use ESD
prevention devices, inspecting each ESD prevention device for
damage, or retesting every workspace to ensure devices have
adequate grounding.
In some embodiments, more advanced protection of electronic
components may be achieved through networked electrostatic
discharge (NESD) monitoring. NESD monitoring may include providing
a plurality of sensors, each sensor capable of measuring actual
electrostatic charges. NESD monitoring may also include a one or
more central servers to analyze the ESD data. The sensors may
record current and voltage from various places within a
manufacturer's facility (e.g., assembly stages of an assembly
line). The sensors may be communicatively coupled (e.g., networked)
to each other to centrally aggregate ESD data. In some embodiments,
the sensors may be wirelessly connected to each other.
The central servers of the NESD monitoring may record the
measurements of the sensors. The central servers may map out
currents and voltages over time from the sensors to record
histories of each assembly stage of the assembly line. In some
embodiments, the central servers may be utilized to provide early
warnings or predict possible danger conditions before electronics
are damaged in manufacturing. In some embodiments, the central
servers may be utilized to diagnose component failure and isolate
problem situations within the assembly line. In some embodiments,
the central servers may be utilized to update existing potential
danger conditions based on previous diagnoses.
NESD monitoring may also provide instantaneous measurement and
diagnosis conforming to and surpassing other models. In detail,
many methods of determining levels of damage may be used in the ESD
field. These methods may include mapping the waveform of discharge
of electrostatic current and voltage through various tests (e.g.,
ESD I-V curves). For example, the human body model (HBM) may test
an electronic component for damage after receiving various levels
of discharge from a charged human. The tests from the HBM may allow
for creation of a corresponding current voltage curve (I-V curve)
including a threshold. In a second example, the machine model (MM)
may test an electronic component for damage after receiving
discharges from a charged tool and creation of corresponding
current voltage curve and/or threshold. Because the NESD monitoring
provides real-time ESD measurements such as current and voltage,
warnings and stop procedures may be implemented to prevent a damage
condition based on an electrical components I-V curve.
FIG. 1 depicts an electronic component assembly line 100 that may
utilize networked electrostatic discharge (NESD) monitoring in
accordance with embodiments of the disclosure. FIG. 1 may include
an environmental view 100A of the assembly line 100, and a
magnified view 100B of a component of the NESD monitoring. The
assembly line 100 may include a plurality of workers including a
first worker 110, and a second worker 112. The assembly line 100
may include grounding 120 (e.g., one or more wires with a pathway
for a charge to flow to the ground). The assembly line 100 may also
include a first assembly stage 130, a second assembly stage 140,
and additional assembly stages (not depicted) electrically coupled
to the grounding 120 to prevent ESD damage. The first assembly
stage 130 may include equipment such as a grounding mat 132, a
workspace 134, and a tool 136 for the assembly of electronics. The
second assembly stage 140 may include equipment such as a workspace
142, a tool 144, and a wrist strap 146. The assembly stages 130 and
140 may include other equipment (not depicted) such as tools or
workspaces.
The NESD monitoring may include the following: a plurality of
sensors 150A, 150B, 150C, 150D, 150E, and 150F (collectively, 150)
to measure ESD; a network base station 160 to relay ESD
measurements; and one or more servers 170 for receiving the ESD
measurements. The NESD monitoring may be utilized to implement a
control program to prevent ESD damage (e.g., ESD S20.20). The
control program may alert the workers 110 and 112 regarding
potential danger conditions relating to ESD. In some embodiments,
the NESD monitoring may be utilized for failure analysis.
The plurality of sensors 150 of the NESD monitoring may measure the
I-V curve from the equipment in the first assembly stage 130 and
the second assembly stage 140. The sensors 150 may be
communicatively coupled to the base station 160 through a network
(e.g., a wired network, a wireless network, or a combination
thereof). The sensors 150 may be attached to a piece of equipment
to enable reading ESD measurements of the piece of equipment and to
enable transmission of the ESD measurements to the network base
station 160. In some embodiments, the sensors 150 may also be
attached to the equipment to allow service and replacement of the
sensors.
The sensors 150 may be hidden from view such as sensor 150C being
physically mounted to the inside of tool 136. In some embodiments,
the sensors 150 may be integrally coupled into the equipment. For
example, sensor 150A and sensor 150E may be molded into the
underside of mat 132 and workspace 142, respectively. In some
embodiments, the equipment may be designed to physically interface
with the sensors 150. For example, the wrist strap 146 may provide
for an enclosed compartment (not depicted) and the sensor 150F may
reside within the enclosed compartment. In some embodiments, the
sensors 150 may be attached to the surface of the equipment. In a
first example, sensor 150B is physically coupled to the side of
workspace 134 to provide for more accurate measurement of ESD. In a
second example, sensor 150D is physically coupled to the outside of
tool 144 to provide for more reliable transmission of ESD
measurements to network base station 160.
Each sensor 150 may include a plurality of components. Magnified
view 100B of sensor 150D may depict components representative of
one or more of the sensors 150. Sensors 150D may include the
following: an input-output (I/O) 152, a processor 153, a memory
154, a network transmitter 156, and a power source 158. The I/O 152
may be serialized to ground to detect the instantaneous
measurements of static electricity. The measurements of static
electricity may include the exact current or voltage value of the
ESD I-V curve (e.g., five milliamps, eighty milliamps, fifty volts,
1,500 volts, etc.). The processor 153 may be one or more integrated
circuits designed to read from the I/O 152 and the memory 154. The
memory 154 may be one or more integrated circuits designed to store
information regarding the sensor 150D such as a serial number or
other identifier. The processor 153 may utilize the network
transmitter 156 to send the measurements and other information
regarding the sensor 150D to the network base station 160. The
network transmitter 156 may utilize one or more existing network
technologies (e.g., near field communication; short range wireless
communication, such as Bluetooth; wired network communications,
such as Ethernet; etc.). The power source 158 may be a finite power
source, such as a battery. The processor 153 may read from and
transmit through the I/O 152 and network transmitter 156,
respectively, continuously. Continuously may mean rapidly in
succession such as every 250 milliseconds, every tenth of a second,
every millisecond, etc.
The servers 170 may be able to retain and process the ESD
information collected from the sensors 150. Each server 170 may be
in the form of a computer, such as the example computer depicted in
FIG. 3. The servers 170 may receive ESD measurements from the
sensors 150 through the network base station 160. The network base
station 160 may communicatively couple to the servers 170 through a
network (e.g., a wired network, a wireless network, or a
combination thereof). In some embodiments, the servers 170 may be
located remotely and the network may be the Internet. The servers
170 may communicate with a data source 172 (e.g., a hard-drive, a
database, network attached storage, etc.). In some embodiments, the
servers 170 may also communicate with other data sources (not
depicted) (e.g., databases that track the movement of various
electronic components as they travel through the assembly line).
The servers 170 may output to one or more output devices including
output 174 and output 176. The outputs 174 and 176 may provide
audiovisual information to the workers 110 and 112 regarding ESD of
the assembly line 100.
The data source 172 may contain records such as the location and
function of the equipment of the assembly stages 130 and 140. The
records may also be related to the type of electronic components
being handled at a given assembly stage and the electronic
specifications of the electronic components. The electronic
specifications may relate to ability of an electronic component to
receive ESD without damage (e.g., voltage thresholds that are safe
and will not damage a component, current thresholds that are
cautionary and may damage a component, thresholds that do damage a
component, etc.). The records may contain information related to
ESD history of a given assembly stage (e.g., past occurrences of
ESD values at a given sensor over time). In embodiments where the
servers 170 communicate with other databases, location information
of electronic components may be copied to data source 172 and
associated with ESD information to form a more complete ESD
history.
The servers 170 may continuously receive ESD I-V data from the
sensors 150. In some embodiments, the servers 170 may also receive
identifying information from the sensors 150 (e.g., an identifier
that is unique to a given sensor). The servers 170 may update the
ESD history of a given assembly stage based on the received ESD
measurements and identifying information from the ESD sensors. The
servers 170 may also store timing related information related to
the ESD measurements (e.g., a timestamp indicative of the reading
from a given sensor). Based on the timing related information, the
servers 170 may be able to determine secondary ESD information
(e.g., an increase or decrease in ESD current over time, normal
fluctuations in ESD I-V values, abnormal measurements, etc.). The
servers 170 may also store information not directly related to ESD
measurements.
Based on the updated ESD history the servers 170 may determine
there exists a potential ESD danger condition (e.g., excessive
current, unusually increasing voltage, etc.). The potential ESD
danger condition may be based upon comparing received values with
an electronic component's specifications. In a first example, a HBM
indicator from sensor 150F may indicate that current in worker 112
exceeds a threshold HBM for an electrical component the worker may
be assigned to work on at assembly stage 140. In a second example,
a MM indicator from sensor 150C may indicate that voltage in tool
136 is close to a threshold HBM for an electrical component that
worker 110 is assigned to work on at assembly stage 130.
Based on the potential ESD danger condition, servers 170 may notify
one or more of the workers 110 and 112. The notification may be in
the form of a stop command (e.g., an audible tone, a visual
indicator). The stop command may be sent to the outputs 174 and
176. The type of stop command sent by the servers 170 may be based
on the type of potential ESD danger. In a first example, sensor
150D may send a measurement with an excessive set of ESD values,
indicative of a high level of electrostatic current from tool 144.
The high level of electrostatic current may indicate a lack of
grounding 120 (e.g., an unplugged device because the device was
recently serviced). The servers 170 may determine, from the
measurement that the tool 144 has enough current to
electrostatically damage an electronic component being assembled in
assembly stage 140. The server 170 may send a stop command to
output 176. The stop command may be in the form of a flashing
display of text in a large font. The stop command may also indicate
to the worker 112 to diagnose or replace the tool 144 before
resuming assembly. The stop command be accompanied by an alarm
sound repeated every second.
In a second example, sensor 150B may be sending an inconsistent ESD
values, or values that may fluctuate outside of a given range. The
fluctuation may be underneath a threshold indicative of possible
ESD damage to the electronic component. Based on the measurements
received from sensor 150B, the servers 170 may determine--by
comparing the received measurements to historical measurements
stored in data source 172--that workspace 134 has a loose ground
connection. Servers 170 may send a notification to output 174 for
receipt and understanding by worker 110. The notification may
contain the text "Workspace ground connection loose: please place
electronic component into antistatic bag and verify workspace
grounding." The notification may be displayed in a font and color
indicative of a cautionary condition (e.g., the color yellow and a
normal font). The notification may also be audible in the form of a
chime repeated every five seconds.
In some embodiments, the NESD monitoring may be utilized to
pinpoint the cause of damage to a previously damaged electronic
component within the assembly line 100. In detail, the workers 110
and 112 assemble electronic components at assembly stages 130 and
140, respectively. After assembly electronics testers may perform
quality assurance testing on the electronic components (e.g.,
verifying the integrity of electrical traces, testing electronics
operations, etc.). If an electronics tester determines that a part
has damage or is not performing properly they can enter access the
servers 170 through a terminal (not depicted) that is
communicatively coupled to the servers.
The electronics tester can request from the servers 170 a likely
cause of damage to the electronic component. The request may be in
the form of providing the serial number of the electronic
component. In some embodiments, the request may include the type of
failure exhibited by the electronic component. Because the servers
170 have access to the ESD history including any potential ESD
danger conditions recoded in the data source 172, the servers may
be able to analyze each ESD to which the electronic component was
exposed. The servers 170 may also have access to specifications of
the electronic component, through data sources or through input
from the electronics tester. The servers 170 may pinpoint a given
assembly stage that caused of the ESD damage (e.g., assembly stage
130). In some embodiments, the servers 170 may generate at least
one corrective action that may be taken regarding the assembly line
100 based on the potential ESD danger conditions and the identified
damage. The corrective action may be a textual or visual report
indicating the most likely locations that could provide a dangerous
ESD, including numerical values, as well as predictive numerical
values of ESDs after the corrective action is taken. The corrective
action may be an upgrade to the grounding of a tool or a workspace.
The corrective action may be an upgrade to worker-worn grounding
equipment. The corrective action may be adding additional grounding
to a piece of equipment.
FIG. 2 depicts an example method 200 for determining a potential
electrostatic discharge that may damage an electronic component in
an assembly line in accordance with embodiments of the present
disclosure. Method 200 may be executed by a server coupled to a
plurality of sensors that measure ESD of equipment and workers.
Each of the sensors may provide ESD measurements through a network,
such as a wireless local area network. Method 200 may include more
or less steps than those depicted. In embodiments, method 200 may
be performed continuously (e.g., every 100 milliseconds, every ten
milliseconds).
From start 205, one or more measurements may be received at 210.
The measurements may be sent from one sensor of the plurality of
sensors. The plurality of sensors being physically coupled to
various equipment and workers in the assembly line. The received
measurements, at 210, may include a serial number or other
identifier of the sensor as well as an ESD I-V value (e.g., sensor
one measures ten volts, sensor two measure eight milliamps, etc.).
After receiving the measurements, at 210, the server may retrieve
one or more specifications related to an electronic component near
the sensor at 220. The specifications may be retrieved, at 220, by
the server from a data source, such as a database. The
specifications may include ESD information such as ESD I-V curves
indicative of maximum current and voltage that the electronic
component may be able to withstand. The specifications may also
include ESD information such as ESD I-V thresholds that are near
enough of the maximum current and voltage that the electronic
component may be in danger (e.g., above eighty percent of maximum
current, within 250 volts of maximum, etc.). The specifications may
also include ESD history such as previous measurements of sensor
over a period of time. In some embodiments, the specification may
include ESD values of equipment, such as an ESD I-V value that is
safe for a piece of equipment to have or an ESD I-V value
indicative that a piece of equipment may be malfunctioning.
The server may utilize the measurements and the specifications to
determine the condition of ESD for the electronic component at 230.
The determination, at 230, may be comparing the received
measurement from the sensor to the retrieved specifications of the
electronic component (e.g., a current is beyond a maximum value
stored in the specifications, a voltage is within a danger zone,
etc.). The determination, at 230, may be the receiving of a
specific value (e.g., a null value that may indicate that a given
sensor has ceased to operate properly). The determination, at 230,
may be comparing the measurement to a previous measurement of the
ESD history (e.g., determining that the ESD current has doubled
from the previous measurement). The determination, at 230, may be
comparing the measurement to multiple previous measurements of the
ESD history (e.g., determining that the ESD voltage is abnormally
increasing and decreasing in an unpredictable manner).
If the determined ESD condition is indicative of potential danger,
at 240, the server may notify workers in the assembly line at 242.
The notification, at 242, may be through speakers or displays in
communication with the server. The notification may be based on the
determined potential danger, such as a more intrusive or obvious
notification for a potential ESD danger that is more likely to
damage a given electronic component (e.g., above a threshold, near
a maximum). If there is no potential danger at 240 (alternatively
after notification at 242), the server may update the history
portion of the specification at 250. The updated history, at 250,
may be utilized in the future by the server to enable
determinations based on more extensive information. If more sensors
are trying to provide measurements, at 260, the server may again
receive those measurements at 210. If no more sensor measurements
are provided, at 260, method 200 may end at 295.
In an example of method 200, a server may provide measurements from
a first sensor at 210. The measurements may include an identifier
of the first sensor and an ESD I-V value of seven milliamps. Based
on the identifier, the server may retrieve specifications of an
electronic component being assembled, at 220. The specifications
may indicate the electronic component will safely withstand an ESD
of twelve milliamps. The specifications may also indicate that the
electronic component is in no potential danger (i.e., a threshold)
if exposed to an ESD of less than ten milliamps. The determination
at 230 may be that there is no potential danger condition at 240.
The server may record the seven milliamp value as well as the time
sensor measurements were received and update the history of the
first sensor at 250. No additional sensor values may be present
after the first sensor measurement, at 260, and method 200 may end
at 295.
In another example of method 200, a server may provide measurements
from a second sensor at 210. The measurements may include an
identifier of the second sensor and an ESD I-V value of 100 volts.
Based on the identifier, the server may retrieve specifications of
an electronic component being assembled, at 220. The specifications
may indicate the electronic component will safely withstand an ESD
of 550 volts. The specifications may also indicate that the
electronic component is in no potential danger (i.e., a threshold)
if exposed to an ESD of less than 450 volts. The specification may
also include a historical reading of 350 volts 100 milliseconds
before the received measurement of 100 volts. The determination at
230 may be that there is potential danger condition, at 240,
because the voltage is varying too much within a period of time.
The server may issue a stop command to the workers nearest the
second sensor, at 242. The server may record the 100 volts value as
well as the time sensor measurements were received and update the
history of the second sensor at 250. No additional sensor values
may be present after the second sensor measurement, at 260, and
method 200 may end at 295.
FIG. 3 depicts the representative major components of an example
computer system 301 that may be used, in accordance with
embodiments of the present disclosure. It is appreciated that
individual components may vary in complexity, number, type, and\or
configuration. The particular examples disclosed are for example
purposes only and are not necessarily the only such variations. The
computer system 301 may comprise a processor 310, memory 320, an
input/output interface (herein I/O or I/O interface) 330, and a
main bus 340. The main bus 340 may provide communication pathways
for the other components of the computer system 301. In some
embodiments, the main bus 340 may connect to other components such
as a specialized digital signal processor (not depicted).
The processor 310 of the computer system 301 may be comprised of
one or more cores 312A, 312B, 312C, 312D (collectively 312). The
processor 310 may additionally include one or more memory buffers
or caches (not depicted) that provide temporary storage of
instructions and data for the cores 312. The cores 312 may perform
instructions on input provided from the caches or from the memory
320 and output the result to caches or the memory. The cores 312
may be comprised of one or more circuits configured to perform one
or methods consistent with embodiments of the present disclosure.
In some embodiments, the computer system 301 may contain multiple
processors 310. In some embodiments, the computer system 301 may be
a single processor 310 with a singular core 312.
The memory 320 of the computer system 301 may include a memory
controller 322. In some embodiments, the memory 320 may comprise a
random-access semiconductor memory, storage device, or storage
medium (either volatile or non-volatile) for storing data and
programs. In some embodiments, the memory may be in the form of
modules (e.g., dual in-line memory modules). The memory controller
322 may communicate with the processor 310, facilitating storage
and retrieval of information in the memory 320. The memory
controller 322 may communicate with the I/O interface 330,
facilitating storage and retrieval of input or output in the memory
320.
The I/O interface 330 may comprise an I/O bus 350, a terminal
interface 352, a storage interface 354, an I/O device interface
356, and a network interface 358. The I/O interface 330 may connect
the main bus 340 to the I/O bus 350. The I/O interface 330 may
direct instructions and data from the processor 310 and memory 320
to the various interfaces of the I/O bus 350. The I/O interface 330
may also direct instructions and data from the various interfaces
of the I/O bus 350 to the processor 310 and memory 320. The various
interfaces may include the terminal interface 352, the storage
interface 354, the I/O device interface 356, and the network
interface 358. In some embodiments, the various interfaces may
include a subset of the aforementioned interfaces (e.g., an
embedded computer system in an industrial application may not
include the terminal interface 352 and the storage interface
354).
Logic modules throughout the computer system 301--including but not
limited to the memory 320, the processor 310, and the I/O interface
330--may communicate failures and changes to one or more components
to a hypervisor or operating system (not depicted). The hypervisor
or the operating system may allocate the various resources
available in the computer system 301 and track the location of data
in memory 320 and of processes assigned to various cores 312. In
embodiments that combine or rearrange elements, aspects and
capabilities of the logic modules may be combined or redistributed.
These variations would be apparent to one skilled in the art.
The present invention may be a system, a method, and/or a computer
program product at any possible technical detail level of
integration. The computer program product may include a computer
readable storage medium (or media) having computer readable program
instructions thereon for causing a processor to carry out aspects
of the present invention.
The computer readable storage medium can be a tangible device that
can retain and store instructions for use by an instruction
execution device. The computer readable storage medium may be, for
example, but is not limited to, an electronic storage device, a
magnetic storage device, an optical storage device, an
electromagnetic storage device, a semiconductor storage device, or
any suitable combination of the foregoing. A non-exhaustive list of
more specific examples of the computer readable storage medium
includes the following: a portable computer diskette, a hard disk,
a random access memory (RAM), a read-only memory (ROM), an erasable
programmable read-only memory (EPROM or Flash memory), a static
random access memory (SRAM), a portable compact disc read-only
memory (CD-ROM), a digital versatile disk (DVD), a memory stick, a
floppy disk, a mechanically encoded device such as punch-cards or
raised structures in a groove having instructions recorded thereon,
and any suitable combination of the foregoing. A computer readable
storage medium, as used herein, is not to be construed as being
transitory signals per se, such as radio waves or other freely
propagating electromagnetic waves, electromagnetic waves
propagating through a waveguide or other transmission media (e.g.,
light pulses passing through a fiber-optic cable), or electrical
signals transmitted through a wire.
Computer readable program instructions described herein can be
downloaded to respective computing/processing devices from a
computer readable storage medium or to an external computer or
external storage device via a network, for example, the Internet, a
local area network, a wide area network and/or a wireless network.
The network may comprise copper transmission cables, optical
transmission fibers, wireless transmission, routers, firewalls,
switches, gateway computers and/or edge servers. A network adapter
card or network interface in each computing/processing device
receives computer readable program instructions from the network
and forwards the computer readable program instructions for storage
in a computer readable storage medium within the respective
computing/processing device.
Computer readable program instructions for carrying out operations
of the present invention may be assembler instructions,
instruction-set-architecture (ISA) instructions, machine
instructions, machine dependent instructions, microcode, firmware
instructions, state-setting data, configuration data for integrated
circuitry, or either source code or object code written in any
combination of one or more programming languages, including an
object oriented programming language such as Smalltalk, C++, or the
like, and procedural programming languages, such as the "C"
programming language or similar programming languages. The computer
readable program instructions may execute entirely on the user's
computer, partly on the user's computer, as a stand-alone software
package, partly on the user's computer and partly on a remote
computer or entirely on the remote computer or server. In the
latter scenario, the remote computer may be connected to the user's
computer through any type of network, including a local area
network (LAN) or a wide area network (WAN), or the connection may
be made to an external computer (for example, through the Internet
using an Internet Service Provider). In some embodiments,
electronic circuitry including, for example, programmable logic
circuitry, field-programmable gate arrays (FPGA), or programmable
logic arrays (PLA) may execute the computer readable program
instructions by utilizing state information of the computer
readable program instructions to personalize the electronic
circuitry, in order to perform aspects of the present
invention.
Aspects of the present invention are described herein with
reference to flowchart illustrations and/or block diagrams of
methods, apparatus (systems), and computer program products
according to embodiments of the invention. It will be understood
that each block of the flowchart illustrations and/or block
diagrams, and combinations of blocks in the flowchart illustrations
and/or block diagrams, can be implemented by computer readable
program instructions.
These computer readable program instructions may be provided to a
processor of a general purpose computer, special purpose computer,
or other programmable data processing apparatus to produce a
machine, such that the instructions, which execute via the
processor of the computer or other programmable data processing
apparatus, create means for implementing the functions/acts
specified in the flowchart and/or block diagram block or blocks.
These computer readable program instructions may also be stored in
a computer readable storage medium that can direct a computer, a
programmable data processing apparatus, and/or other devices to
function in a particular manner, such that the computer readable
storage medium having instructions stored therein comprises an
article of manufacture including instructions which implement
aspects of the function/act specified in the flowchart and/or block
diagram block or blocks.
The computer readable program instructions may also be loaded onto
a computer, other programmable data processing apparatus, or other
device to cause a series of operational steps to be performed on
the computer, other programmable apparatus or other device to
produce a computer implemented process, such that the instructions
which execute on the computer, other programmable apparatus, or
other device implement the functions/acts specified in the
flowchart and/or block diagram block or blocks.
The flowchart and block diagrams in the Figures illustrate the
architecture, functionality, and operation of possible
implementations of systems, methods, and computer program products
according to various embodiments of the present invention. In this
regard, each block in the flowchart or block diagrams may represent
a module, segment, or portion of instructions, which comprises one
or more executable instructions for implementing the specified
logical function(s). In some alternative implementations, the
functions noted in the blocks may occur out of the order noted in
the Figures. For example, two blocks shown in succession may, in
fact, be executed substantially concurrently, or the blocks may
sometimes be executed in the reverse order, depending upon the
functionality involved. It will also be noted that each block of
the block diagrams and/or flowchart illustration, and combinations
of blocks in the block diagrams and/or flowchart illustration, can
be implemented by special purpose hardware-based systems that
perform the specified functions or acts or carry out combinations
of special purpose hardware and computer instructions.
The descriptions of the various embodiments of the present
disclosure have been presented for purposes of illustration, but
are not intended to be exhaustive or limited to the embodiments
disclosed. Many modifications and variations will be apparent to
those of ordinary skill in the art without departing from the scope
and spirit of the described embodiments. The terminology used
herein was chosen to explain the principles of the embodiments, the
practical application or technical improvement over technologies
found in the marketplace, or to enable others of ordinary skill in
the art to understand the embodiments disclosed herein.
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